Books

Courtroom Thriller

Dying Declaration combines faith, race, and politics into a page-turner.

Dying Declaration
Dying Declaration
Dying Declaration: A Novel by Randy Singer WaterBrook Press 417 pp., $13.99

Move over, John Grisham. Street preacher and lawyer Randy Singer excels at legal thrillers, and in this newest offering, he shows why he is one of faith fiction’s best suspense novelists.

Singer (Irreparable Harm, Directed Verdict) unfolds the story of a conservative Christian family that prefers prayer to seeking medical attention. “Just have faith,” Thomas Hammond says to his wife. “God’ll heal ‘im.”

Their young toddler dies, and powerful politics come into play as the parents lose their two other children to the courts and face charges that could land them in prison. The white couple hires the likeable, divorced African American law professor Charles Arnold to take their case.

Racial tensions, consequences of well-intentioned yet misguided belief, collisions between the law and religion, and a dollop of romance make the pages turn quickly. In the end, the case may hinge on one character’s “dying declaration.”

Singer knows how to incorporate just enough legal details to make things interesting without overdoing it. Readers of his other novels will recognize many of his previous, multifaceted characters, and enjoy the introduction of some new ones.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Dying Declaration is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

The publisher offers an excerpt.

More about author Randy Singer (including his proof of God) is available from his website.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

What God Hath Not Joined

Edith M. Humphrey

The Man Behind the Marriage Amendment

Sheryl Henderson Blunt

Pro-Abortion Madness

Q & A: Deborah Dortzbach

News

Quotation Marks

Teaching and Learning

Compiled by Richard Kauffman

Senate Showdown

John W. Kennedy

So, Who Owns the Sanctuary?

Kathleen K. Rutledge

Southern Baptist Surprise!

By Amy Green

The Art of Debating Darwin

Reviewed by Edward J. Larson

Editorial

Never Again?

A Christianity Today Editorial

Editorial

The Values-Driven Voter

A Christianity Today Editorial

The Visit

Virginia Stem Owens

Theological Tango

Reviewed by Michele Howe

Thirteen Bad Arguments for Same-Sex Marriage

Robert Benne and Gerald McDermott

When God Doesn't Heal

Answered by Mark M. Yarbrough

Keeping the Sabbath

Forgetting God

Court Guts Porn Law

Ken Walker

News

Go Figure

News

Loose Lips

By Manpreet Singh in Hong Kong

News

Passages

By CT Staff

A False Cry of Peace

A Crumbling Institution

Unintelligent Debate

John Wilson

Bad Cops

Cornelis Hulsman in Cairo

Clearing the Clutter

Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

News

<em>Christianity Today</em> News Briefs

By CT Staff

Cracking Down on Conversions

Manpreet Singh

Fighting Zealous Tolerance

Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Fish Tales

Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Forgetting God

Inside <em>CT</em>: The Cure of Gay Souls

Loving Military Enemies

View issue

Our Latest

Threatening Profound Evil Trivializes That Evil

Justin R. Hawkins

President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth speak often of Christianity—but they seem to have no interest in its vision for just warfare.

The Iranian Church Persists

David Yeghnazar

Amid war, some Christians are evangelizing, preparing food for neighbors, and displaying other acts of generosity.

The Bulletin

Trump Threatens Iran, Artemis II Returns, and Anthropic’s AI Triggers Fear

Clarissa Moll, Russell Moore

Trump kills conservatism, astronauts head home, and Claude Mythos Preview deemed too dangerous for public consumption.

Review

Are Christians Rude Dinner Guests?

Three books on politics and public life about the common good, ISIS brides, and Ronald Reagan.

News

The Mississippi Farmer Who Helped Resettle 150 Ukrainian Families

Hannah Herrera

As the US makes it more difficult for refugees to stay, Rodney Mast and his church community are rallying around their new friends.

Analysis

Two States Test a New Pro-Life Law

Pro-lifers have just won legislative victories to restrict abortion pills in South Dakota and Mississippi. But will the laws work?

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Dr. Bernice King: The Truth About Nonviolence

Calling the Church to lead with clarity anchored in love.

News

Nigeria Prosecutes Suspects of 2025 Christian Massacre

Emiene Erameh

Survivors hope for justice in the trial of nine men accused of the slaughter of about 150 Christians in Benue state.

addApple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseellipseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squarefolderGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastprintremoveRSSRSSSaveSavesaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube